| And it is called obesity. My body is set up to store every extra calorie I give it as fat. And it will always be so. But there is HOPE!!! I have found hope in Medifast, and in staying compliant to the program as written in the Quick Start Guide I see *R*E*S*U*L*T*S* which is what I'm after. Even when I am at goal and maintaining at a size 2 petite, I will still consider myself as having this medical condition. But I will consider myself in a lifetime treatment program, and that lifetime treatment program, therapy if you will, is Medifast. I am going to be one of the ones who use 3 Medifast Meal Replacements every day along with phase 4 of transition. So my maintenance plan will look like this: 3 Medifast Meals 11-13 oz protein 2.5 cups vegetables 2 medium sized pieces of fruit (or 1 cup cubed or berries) 1 dairy 1 whole grain I will use the transition plan as written, and will maintain my weight because I will always be in THERAPY but never CURED. I have this hope. And I am the one who can implement it. Only me. No one else is responsible for my health EXCEPT myself. And I am in a place where I take that responsibility gladly. Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| "Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being." -Goethe Most people just want to know that they matter. That you see them. That you regard them as unique and special. Much of the time this can be accomplished with enthusiasm and a smile! It's a little harder in the virtual world, but I find it is still similar. Take this forum for example. When I see a blog with "0" comments on it, I feel a little dejected even if it isn't my blog! I know, crazy! But it is true! So I read the blog and comment on it because I want the writer to know that they matter! And that they are unique and special! Because we all are. Let's make sure no blog goes un-commented on! =) So today is a crazy day, my schedule is a bit off and I'm way behind on my water. But I'm catching up. And my headache is subsiding. I saw some dear friends today who are missionaries in Slovenia. They came over and we had egg-free waffles. Well, they did. I was happy serving and chatting! I gave my dear friend a beautiful Lomonosov Cobalt tea pot and a Lomonosov tea cup (I have a matching tea cup) so that we can pray for each other every time we use it! This was a random blog but I just wanted to say hello! Happy Saturday everyone! And keep on Medifasting! |
| Sorry I've been MIA on the blogs. Little man had Strep and 104.5 fever. Feeling much better now, and running around the house again. So here I am! Just wanted to give a quick update. Will blog more tomorrow! |
| I did. Looking back, I have to say that I did not eat anything I did not want to eat. And I enjoyed everything I ate on my way back to 268. And I didn't feel guilty. I was in the trance of denial. And I gained back 140 pounds. And you see, that was actually the problem. Day after day mindless eating, lined up in a neat little row, will do that over time. The danger is not in the eating off plan for a meal, or even a day, or two or three days. It is not getting back to Medifast after those two or three days are over. And once the carbs gain control, they are a powerful force to be reckoned with. They make us forget all our goals and dreams we have for ourselves. They tell us "you can start tomorrow" and tomorrow never comes. So if you are reading this blog and have been off plan for even the last week or two, wondering if you actually have the courage to begin again, START TODAY. Make you NEXT meal a Medifast one. Don't wait until tomorrow. Walk over to your cupboard and choose a Medifast meal. (I know you still have a few in there!) As you prepare it, commit yourself again to the process. Because it is never too late to become the person we 'might have' been. But we have to set our foot on the path. Then place your order. |
| Contentment in the process. That is what I preach. I know that the antibiotics I was on this week and the TOM that came a week early as a result have logistically resulted in this tick up on the scale. So, I will ignore the number and move on. =) Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| Not many other cultures in this world have a population of people who, for the most part, get what they want. Have we been spoiled to grow up in America, a land of opportunity and a land of plenty? Well that is the topic of another blog but today I was thinking about the fact that we, as individuals, usually get exactly what we want. Our problem, however, and one of the reasons we became obese in the first place, was that we were wanting the "wrong" things. I'm all for getting what I want. I really have NO problem with that. But I am learning to line up my WANTS with my primary goal of Optimal Health. Because I really REALLY want Optimal Health. Do you want junk food? Then eventually you will get junk food. Like you have gotten it so many times before. So many times that you found yourself ordering Medifast out of desperation because somewhere deep down you also want to be a normal weight. An essential key to coaxing out the long-term success potential of this tool of Medifast we've chosen to use is to actively, and I do mean ACTIVELY establish exactly WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT MORE Because we WILL get it. Then we need to ACTIVELY minimize those wants that are in danger of keeping us from what we want MORE. Are you obsessing over the food that you are missing? Well if you are, you are technically "wanting" it (or are in want of it) and you will get it. Maybe tonight in a binge after everyone else has gone to bed. Maybe next weekend at your cousin's second wedding. In fact, you are already thinking of your next encounter with the yummy food/intoxicating alcohol that you want. You may have even posted about how much of a "challenge" it will be to stay "on plan" and you're not sure you can really do it, you know, "realistically" because we all have to, you know, "live life" and everything should be, you know, in "moderation". So, the scenario is ripe for you to, in fact, slow your losses, stall your losses, gain, give up. Because you wanted the yummy food/alcohol more. Or, are you waking up each day and thinking to yourself that you cannot WAIT to get into "just overweight" on the BMI chart, or to move from "overweight" to "normal weight"? Do you have that next size down dress/jeans in the closet in a prominent place in your closet so that you are reminded every day that you are actually shrinking? Are you carefully preparing your Lean and Green and measuring your healthy fats so as to stay compliant to the plan? Are you orienting your day towards wanting health or are you orienting your day towards wanting yummy food? Because therein lies the direction you will ultimately head. Because we do, in fact, usually get what we want. Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| When I wake up in the morning I have one perfect cup of coffee. It has 2 TBSP half and half and 1 packet splenda in it, and is a bit of heaven on earth. And as much as I'd love a second cup, and as much as every morning my brain tells me to go ahead and have a second cup, I ALWAYS have my second cup black. Why? I'm sure I could do the numbers so that I COULD have a second cup of coffee with 2 TBSP half and half and 1 packet splenda in it, just count both servings as my 2 healthy fats and the 2 packets of splenda as condiments. But I don't. You see, my inner brat is the one asking for that second cup, and it is coming out of a place of indulgence. (If one is good, two is better type thing). I consciously make the DECISION first thing in the morning to say NO to indulgence for indulgence-sake, and have my second cup black. This sets the tone for the rest of the day. Because shortly thereafter, that inner brat will say "naw, you don't have to start drinking your water yet.....you don't feel like it..." And if I indulge that inner-brat with the coffee, I'll also listen to her with the water, and before you know it, it is noon and I am woefully behind on my water and have used up all my healthy fats. So I choose. It's a simple choice, and I make it around 7:34 every morning. After a few sips of the "black" coffee I usually abandon the cup and get some water........ =) Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| That's right. I don't care what anyone says to try to talk me out of it. I am going to have a free-for-all this weekend, and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. Every minute of chocolate-filled bliss and I don't care who knows it. You got it, I'm having a "5-brownie day"! Five Medifast Brownies, that is! Oh and a weighed and measured lean and green + appropriate healthy fats, too! I really cut loose on the weekends. =) |
| I went to see Cowboys and Aliens last night, MAN what a good movie. Entertaining, enjoyable, witty, and two of my favorite leading men Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig. I went by myself, because going to movies solo is actually one of the ways I relax and my hubby doesn't mind. Next to me was a couple who looked to be in their early 60's, and were both shall we say "extremely ample". The man returned from the snack bar with a large soda (could have been diet) and an XL movie theatre popcorn. I didn't think much of it, because many people get XL movie theatre popcorns and share it with their party. Here's the thing. The man ate it himself. No sharing with the wife. Here's the other thing. Halfway through the movie he went and got the "free" refill and another soda, and he proceeded to eat the entire refill also. I heard a steady "munch munch munch" in my left ear throughout the entire movie, and I reflected how that man is killing himself one XL popcorn at a time. Then I wondered at this culture of ours which says that is normal, and even desired (I mean who can go see a movie without soda and popcorn?!?!). I didn't feel disgusted, I felt sad. And thankful, so very thankful, that I found Medifast and that more importantly, I made the decision to be counter-culture with my health. PS I just looked up the calories he consumed JUST on the popcorn, and a Large with 3 squirts of butter flavor would have been 1500 calories. So an XL was probably closer to 2000 calories PER BAG. Add in the soda (528 per 48 oz serving) and that would total more than 5000 calories consumed of pure garbage. Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
Some of us are over-thinkers. We take a simple process and we "think it all up!" until it is no longer simple, until it is so STINKING complex that even WE lose track of it and eventually abandon the effort.And we just think we are experts. I know I do. =) HA! Then something happens to bring us back to simplicity. For me, I think I've been moving towards simplicity for a year now, as I have done Medifast. I am no longer the angry, bitter, dour fat woman of days-gone-by. I am changing at my core. I have identified the person I want to become and am moving toward that goal. Do YOU have a picture in your mind of the person you want to become? Or is your goal just "to lose weight"? I challenge anyone who is reading my blog today to take some time over the next few days and REALLY think SIMPLY about who you want to become. If you were a reflection of your AUTHENTIC self, what kind of person would you be? How would your authentic self look? What would your authentic self do? How would your authentic self treat others? Treat yourself? If you don't have a goal, you'll never reach it. That is what I have discovered in my own life. So define your goals, and in so doing, you may actually be defining yourself and your potential. Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! Attachment: Celebrity2011.jpg |
| My son started back to Kindergarten this week, and I am proud (in a bit of a wicked way I suppose!) to report that I am, in fact, NOT the biggest mom after all! That was my NSV for this week! Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| Today I woke up and didn't feel like it. Waking up, that is. Then I put on my running shoes although I didn't feel like it. Running that is. Now I'm drinking my water, and to tell you the truth, drinking so much so early makes me kinda nauseous. I sure don't feel like it. In a few minutes I'm getting my chocolate shake ready for breakfast. Not so enthused this morning. But I'll do it. Ever have those days when the things that we do just feel like obligations and when we forget that WE chose this and not the other way around? Yeah. That is me, today. But you know what? I'm doing it anyway. Why? Because my fat doesn't care how I feel, it will respond to what I put into my body and how much I move. So today, although my heart isn't in it, I'm doing it. Don't look now, but I think I may be acquiring a bit of SELF DISCIPLINE into my life. Please don't tell my perpetual teenager side of me, aka my inner brat. I've had her on board for this journey and I don't want her to jump ship LOL. She can be a menacing and cunning foe. =) Doing what we don't feel like or want to do daily in order to obtain a future goal is what Dr. A would call secondary goals to obtain a primary goal. The primary goal is what we are after, and the things we do every day, the little disciplines we incorporate throughout our routine, are called secondary goals. Often, if not always, the secondary goals are not fun. There are no accolades, no immediate rewards, and it is usually hard. We sacrifice parts of our day to do tasks that sometimes are unpleasant in order to move us toward that primary goal. Dr. A uses the analogy of a concert pianist. Being a concert pianist is the primary goal, but practicing every day in order to become that concert pianist is the secondary goal. I am sure that concert pianist when he was growing up would have rather been playing with his friends outside, or surfing facebook, or hanging out at the mall. But he diligently and faithfully set the framework to make himself into a concert pianist by practicing for hours every day. Feeling like it or not didn't even enter in to the equation. He just did it. That's where I am in my Medifast journey. I love where I'm headed, and I know I'll get there. I have faith in the process. But it's not all pony-rides in May sunshine in the process of becoming that which I have decided to become. So I get down to the choice of setting my secondary goals, and using the tools I have at my disposal. Namely, Medifast meals and running shoes. Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! PS I'm going to keep attaching my "celebrity look alike" collage to every blog from now on because I like it! C'mon, Jessica Biel? Kate Winslet? Annette Benning? Scarlett Johanssen? =) Attachment: Celebrity2011.jpg |
| I still remember one of the first Celebrity Look-Alikes I did, on myheritage.com, before I had lost over 100 lbs. It wasn't pretty. There were lots of men in the collage. Older men. Wasn't thrilled. In fact, my highest %% match was William Shatner at the time. If you browse my photos on MyPage and look at the one of me in the pink sleeveless shirt, you will see why. It was ALMOST the saddest day of my life LOL. But I just did a NEW celebrity look alike collage, (picture attached) and I think I'll TAKE THESE RESULTS!!! Scarlett Johanssen, Kate Winslet, Jessica Biel, Annette Benning are among the highest matches. Yeehaw!!!! I no longer look like William Shatner or Stacy Keech! Attachment: Celebrity2011.jpg |
| Simplicity = the 5&1 plan. I am also trying to simplify other areas in my life. To take an exerpt from Janet Luhrs The Simple Living Guide, "Simple living is about living deliberately. That's all. You CHOOSE your existence rather than sailing through life on automatic pilot. Living deeply means living consciously...being fully present, fully aware. Living deeply means living intimately...closely tied to the people, places and things in your life. When you simplify, you'll have space and time to know and love people in a deeper way. You'll present your authentic self to the world and will create a life that is authentic for you. You'll surround yourself with people who like and love you for who you are deep inside, rather than the professional or other kind of persona you project to the world. Simplicity and living deeply means shedding all of those outward layers of image and busyness that keep us from being close to ourselves and other people. It is a more authentic life. Simplicity is living from your essence...your core. You can discover this essence only when you slow down and begin to live deliberately, consciously." I am excited to read the rest of this book. I see big changes on the horizon in every area of my life. And I am excited as all get-out! Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| The plan, the plan, nothing but the plan. I've thrown away my condiment list. I am paring down my choices this week to what it contained in the basic plan, as outlined by the Quick Start Guide. No more, no less. Sure I CAN have a snack and condiments....but I've grown too dependent on them. I want simplicity and results. If it ain't in the QSG I ain't doin' it. Period. Extreme? No, proven. I've got 45 more pounds to lose and I want to lose them by New Year's Eve. Have a great Medifasting week! Rinse and Repeat! |
| The big girl, that is what I was known as in elementary school. Shocker of all shockers when the day came that I realized I actually had a SMALL frame. I am petite. My bones are petite, my stature is petite, I am petite. I can't wait for the world to be able to see that about me again someday soon. Starting out at a size 26 jeans no one would have guessed that about me. Now that I am a size 10 people are beginning to suspect.... =) I have also randomly learned that I REALLY like platform shoes and 5-inch heels. So does my 6 foot 2 hubby (not for him, for me!). Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| So many of us are emotion-driven, myself included. We need to be gung-ho about something in order to dive fully into it heart and soul. So what happens when that emotional pull we felt doing Medifast at the beginning wanes? Do you ever wake up some mornings not "feeling" necessarily in love with your significant other? Do you let that affect what you do that day? "Sorry honey, I'm just not feeling it this morning. I'm packing my bags." Or how about this one "Sorry honey, I'm just not feeling it this morning. Maybe when the plumber gets here he'll look better to me than you do right now and...." You get the picture. No, most of us do not conduct our relationship in this way. Well, Medifast is a commitment also. And once we get in to the routine and the initial large losses happen, sometimes that "feeling" wanes, and the Medihoneymoon is over. What do we do? Some folks will decide that because they aren't infatuated with Medifast anymore it is time to find their excitement in other things and other foods because they are bored with Medifast. Some folks, though, will decide that since they made a commitment to themselves and others that they would see this through, they DO Medifast anyway, regardless of how they feel. And a funny thing happens. Eventually these people experience a new emotion, which is the peace and satisfaction that comes from consistently doing a good job and sticking to their commitment. Emotion follows motion. So I say do the program regardless of how you feel, INCLUDING on the weekends. Your fat doesn't care how you feel. Your fat will respond to what you put into your body and how much you move. Period. Even if you are controlling your intake while kicking and screaming, and having a back-and-forth internal dialog with yourself about how FREAKING hard this process can be, that is fine. Leave it at your lips. Nothing passes your lips that isn't on plan. And you WILL be successful. Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| "Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire." - Epictetus This is really what this program is about, right? Controlling our desire? Let me say this again...CONTROLLING OUR DESIRE. At first glance, many may think this means fighting tooth and nail to NOT succumb to our desire. Right? No. I believe Epictetus was saying that freedom only comes when we CONTROL the actual PROCESS of desiring. What are we focused on? Because if we are allowing thoughts and fantasies of "eating what we want" to run rampant in our heads, we truly then are still in bondage. But what, then, is freedom? For me, freedom is the ability to control the OBJECT or the FOCUS of my desire. I desire good health. I am free to pursue that good, or optimal, health, and obtain that desire. What if I desire junk food? Well, the constraints of the plan become something I resent. That resentment passes in to every area of my life and make me just a bitter person because my desire must go unfilled if I am to stay "On Plan". Or, I fulfill my desire and stay fat. Either way I have become a slave to that uncontrolled desire. But if I control that desire and focus it on something noble worthy and good, then the filling of that desire is a pleasure. AND I get what I want! No feelings of deprivation because, you see, I am getting exactly what I desire and am free to do that without guilt. So let's be careful in fantasizing about "all that yummy food", lest we enslave ourselves in the process. Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
| I've seen many posts lately about cravings, and it really hit me this weekend that my actual cravings have changed. In the past, and on previous programs, I would crave things that were blatantly fat-producing things, like ice cream, cupcakes, brownies, and the like. This weekend I dealt with cravings, but I dealt with them in the proper way which is, for me, NOT to succumb. But WHAT I was craving really made an impression on me. I was craving baba ganouj. I was craving hummous. I was craving shrimp and vegetable spring rolls wrapped in rice paper. Good things, healthy things, and things I still needed to say "no" to for NOW. But not NO when I'm in maintenance! Just some thoughts. |
| "The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me." - Ayn Rand I don't need anyone's permission to change my life. I only need to decide to do it, and then step into that decision with the conviction of my dreams. "I pity the fool" who tries to stop me. =) Happy Medifasting! Rinse and Repeat! |
Monday, September 19, 2011
August 2nd-22nd, 2011
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